While others are up early shopping today, I'm up early designing quilts.
Ethne and I have been working on a challenge to use indigenous or traditional designs to make something that feels modern.
I had a pretty clear idea of what I wanted to do, until I attended a cross-cultural workshop a couple weekends ago from which I left with the question "What is your creation story?" What has evolved is an idea for "Western Migration" - something that captures my family history symbolically.
In keeping with Ethne's plan to use fabric from the stash, I've decided on these fabrics, which I bought on a family vacation to visit my brother in New Hampshire years ago. I also have a rather vague idea on tying together celtic designs with the atomic symbol. More about that later.
This morning, I've been working on the Tetons portion of the design. This is the view from the North. Harley Dude and I had our first date in the Tetons and climbed the Grand Teton (center peak) on our honeymoon. The last mountaineering trip I took was to climb Mt Owen (on the right). I was always afraid to climb Owen because of the snow field on the top. Weather kept us from the summit, but I did spend a sleepless night on that glacier. You see...I have an inordinate fear of glacial cravasses. I thought we'd be camping BY the glacier, not ON the glacier. The hardest part of this process for me is to make this look modern, but still have it be recognizable to people who know and love these particular mountain peaks.
Next Challenge: The Midwest. The center of the quilt will represent generations of farmers.
2 comments:
Hmmm, that is really a challenge.
I would probably have trouble with the modern look... Half the family arriving on a sailing ship and the other half waiting on the shore.
I'll be interested to see what you come up with.
I've been playing with another challenge piece - just need to get some more DMC cotton to finish it - no applique but an indigenous art form
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